The Contrast [22]
heart, and in which he would not bear contradiction.
CHARLOTTE
This works well; oh! the generous Dimple. I'll endeavour to excite her to discharge him. [Aside.] But, my dear friend, your happiness depends on your- self. Why don't you discard him? Though the match has been of long standing, I would not be forced to make myself miserable: no parent in the world should oblige me to marry the man I did not like.
MARIA
Oh! my dear, you never lived with your parents, and do not know what influence a father's frowns have upon a daughter's heart. Besides, what have I to alledge against Mr. Dimple, to justify myself to the world? He carries himself so smoothly, that every one would impute the blame to me, and call me capri- cious.
CHARLOTTE
And call her capricious! Did ever such an objection start into the heart of woman? For my part, I wish I had fifty lovers to discard, for no other reason than because I did not fancy them. My dear Maria, you will forgive me; I know your candour and confidence in me; but I have at times, I confess, been led to sup- pose that some other gentleman was the cause of your aversion to Mr. Dimple.
MARIA
No, my sweet friend, you may be assured, that though I have seen many gentlemen I could prefer to Mr. Dimple, yet I never saw one that I thought I could give my hand to, until this morning.
CHARLOTTE
This morning!
MARIA
Yes; one of the strangest accidents in the world. The odious Dimple, after disgusting me with his con- versation, had just left me, when a gentleman, who, it seems, boards in the same house with him, saw him coming out of our door, and, the houses looking very much alike, he came into our house instead of his lodgings; nor did he discover his mistake until he got into the parlour, where I was; he then bowed so gracefully, made such a genteel apology, and looked so manly and noble!--
CHARLOTTE
I see some folks, though it is so great an impropri- ety, can praise a gentleman, when he happens to be the man of their fancy. [Aside.]
MARIA
I don't know how it was,--I hope he did not think me indelicate,--but I asked him, I believe, to sit down, or pointed to a chair. He sat down, and, in- stead of having recourse to observations upon the weather, or hackneyed criticisms upon the theatre, he entered readily into a conversation worthy a man of sense to speak, and a lady of delicacy and sentiment to hear. He was not strictly handsome, but he spoke the language of sentiment, and his eyes looked tender- ness and honour.
CHARLOTTE
Oh! [eagerly] you sentimental, grave girls, when your hearts are once touched, beat us rattles a bar's length. And so you are quite in love with this he-angel?
MARIA
In love with him! How can you rattle so, Char- lotte? am I not going to be miserable? [Sighs.] In love with a gentleman I never saw but one hour in my life, and don't know his name! No; I only wished that the man I shall marry may look, and talk, and act, just like him. Besides, my dear, he is a married man.
CHARLOTTE
Why, that was good-natured--he told you so, I sup- pose, in mere charity, to prevent you falling in love with him?
MARIA
He didn't tell me so; [peevishly] he looked as if he was married.
CHARLOTTE
How, my dear; did he look sheepish?
MARIA
I am sure he has a susceptible heart, and the ladies of his acquaintance must be very stupid not to--
CHARLOTTE
Hush! I hear some person coming.
Enter LETITIA.
LETITIA
My dear Maria, I am happy to see you. Lud! what a pity it is that you have purchased your wed- ding clothes.
MARIA
I think so. [Sighing.]
LETITIA
Why, my dear, there is the sweetest parcel of silks come over you ever saw! Nancy Brilliant has a full suit come; she sent over her measure, and it fits her to a hair; it is immensely dressy, and made for a court-hoop. I thought they said the large hoops were going out of fashion.
CHARLOTTE
Did you see the hat? Is it a fact that the deep laces round the border is still the fashion?
CHARLOTTE
This works well; oh! the generous Dimple. I'll endeavour to excite her to discharge him. [Aside.] But, my dear friend, your happiness depends on your- self. Why don't you discard him? Though the match has been of long standing, I would not be forced to make myself miserable: no parent in the world should oblige me to marry the man I did not like.
MARIA
Oh! my dear, you never lived with your parents, and do not know what influence a father's frowns have upon a daughter's heart. Besides, what have I to alledge against Mr. Dimple, to justify myself to the world? He carries himself so smoothly, that every one would impute the blame to me, and call me capri- cious.
CHARLOTTE
And call her capricious! Did ever such an objection start into the heart of woman? For my part, I wish I had fifty lovers to discard, for no other reason than because I did not fancy them. My dear Maria, you will forgive me; I know your candour and confidence in me; but I have at times, I confess, been led to sup- pose that some other gentleman was the cause of your aversion to Mr. Dimple.
MARIA
No, my sweet friend, you may be assured, that though I have seen many gentlemen I could prefer to Mr. Dimple, yet I never saw one that I thought I could give my hand to, until this morning.
CHARLOTTE
This morning!
MARIA
Yes; one of the strangest accidents in the world. The odious Dimple, after disgusting me with his con- versation, had just left me, when a gentleman, who, it seems, boards in the same house with him, saw him coming out of our door, and, the houses looking very much alike, he came into our house instead of his lodgings; nor did he discover his mistake until he got into the parlour, where I was; he then bowed so gracefully, made such a genteel apology, and looked so manly and noble!--
CHARLOTTE
I see some folks, though it is so great an impropri- ety, can praise a gentleman, when he happens to be the man of their fancy. [Aside.]
MARIA
I don't know how it was,--I hope he did not think me indelicate,--but I asked him, I believe, to sit down, or pointed to a chair. He sat down, and, in- stead of having recourse to observations upon the weather, or hackneyed criticisms upon the theatre, he entered readily into a conversation worthy a man of sense to speak, and a lady of delicacy and sentiment to hear. He was not strictly handsome, but he spoke the language of sentiment, and his eyes looked tender- ness and honour.
CHARLOTTE
Oh! [eagerly] you sentimental, grave girls, when your hearts are once touched, beat us rattles a bar's length. And so you are quite in love with this he-angel?
MARIA
In love with him! How can you rattle so, Char- lotte? am I not going to be miserable? [Sighs.] In love with a gentleman I never saw but one hour in my life, and don't know his name! No; I only wished that the man I shall marry may look, and talk, and act, just like him. Besides, my dear, he is a married man.
CHARLOTTE
Why, that was good-natured--he told you so, I sup- pose, in mere charity, to prevent you falling in love with him?
MARIA
He didn't tell me so; [peevishly] he looked as if he was married.
CHARLOTTE
How, my dear; did he look sheepish?
MARIA
I am sure he has a susceptible heart, and the ladies of his acquaintance must be very stupid not to--
CHARLOTTE
Hush! I hear some person coming.
Enter LETITIA.
LETITIA
My dear Maria, I am happy to see you. Lud! what a pity it is that you have purchased your wed- ding clothes.
MARIA
I think so. [Sighing.]
LETITIA
Why, my dear, there is the sweetest parcel of silks come over you ever saw! Nancy Brilliant has a full suit come; she sent over her measure, and it fits her to a hair; it is immensely dressy, and made for a court-hoop. I thought they said the large hoops were going out of fashion.
CHARLOTTE
Did you see the hat? Is it a fact that the deep laces round the border is still the fashion?